Colonels looking for redemption in 2013

Published: Monday, December 3, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, December 3, 2012 at 11:08 a.m.

CORVALLIS, Ore. — After back-to-back 1-10 seasons, and just minutes after a 77-3 loss at No. 16 Oregon State on Saturday, members of the Nicholls State football team were already starting to focus on one thing — 2013.

The Colonels ended 2012 with eight straight losses and their last win over a Division I opponent came on Nov. 18, 2010.

But Nicholls coach Charlie Stubbs, who just completed his third season at the helm, said the Colonels will keep working to get better.

"I aspire to bring this program up," Stubbs said. "It's tough. It's tough on me, but I just have to stay the course. It was a tough season. We aren't as talented as a program as I would like us to be yet, but you have to make plays to win in all three phases. We have to identify those guys who can make plays."

The Colonels were outscored 426-195 this season and lose 15 seniors, but of the 28 players (including specialists) listed as starters for the Colonels on Saturday, just seven were seniors.

"We are already moving to 2013 right now," Stubbs said. "I appreciated what our seniors did for us, but I told the team what we have to address in moving forward. This game mirrors life, and sometimes in life you get knocked down and right now at Nicholls we are knocked down, but we don't plan on staying down."

Stubbs, who is 6-27 with the Colonels (0-7 in the Southland Conference this season), said he hopes the adversity and tough lessons that come with back-to-back 1-10 seasons will lead to some success on the field next season.

"A lot of the guys you saw running around out there, they may not have looked very good, but some of them were true freshmen," Stubbs said. "I appreciate their courage. I am trying to teach my young guys what it takes to win."

Nicholls junior quarterback Landry Klann, who became the first Colonels player to throw for more than 2,000 yards in a season since Brad Zeller did it in 1998, said next season starts now.

"There are a lot of young guys that are eager to get better. We want to have a better season than 1-10," Klann said. "We are thinking 2013. We are moving on."

Marcus Washington, a junior who led the Colonels in rushing this season with 620 yards, said more leaders must emerge for Nicholls moving forward.

"We are going to have to build some leaders on all three phases, offense, defense and special teams," Washington said. "We have some guys who have played since they were freshmen coming back, so we know we have to bring it next year. Next season should be great. We have been playing young every year. We just need to go into this offseason knowing that we can win."

Sophomore cornerback Byron Cobb, a starter, said staying positive will benefit the team in working toward next season.

"We definitely have to stay positive and build off the positive things and feed off of the," Cobb said. "We want to have a successful program. Our coaches are instilling the right mindset in us."

<p>CORVALLIS, Ore. — After back-to-back 1-10 seasons, and just minutes after a 77-3 loss at No. 16 Oregon State on Saturday, members of the Nicholls State football team were already starting to focus on one thing — 2013.</p><p>The Colonels ended 2012 with eight straight losses and their last win over a Division I opponent came on Nov. 18, 2010.</p><p>But Nicholls coach Charlie Stubbs, who just completed his third season at the helm, said the Colonels will keep working to get better.</p><p>"I aspire to bring this program up," Stubbs said. "It's tough. It's tough on me, but I just have to stay the course. It was a tough season. We aren't as talented as a program as I would like us to be yet, but you have to make plays to win in all three phases. We have to identify those guys who can make plays."</p><p>The Colonels were outscored 426-195 this season and lose 15 seniors, but of the 28 players (including specialists) listed as starters for the Colonels on Saturday, just seven were seniors.</p><p>"We are already moving to 2013 right now," Stubbs said. "I appreciated what our seniors did for us, but I told the team what we have to address in moving forward. This game mirrors life, and sometimes in life you get knocked down and right now at Nicholls we are knocked down, but we don't plan on staying down."</p><p>Stubbs, who is 6-27 with the Colonels (0-7 in the Southland Conference this season), said he hopes the adversity and tough lessons that come with back-to-back 1-10 seasons will lead to some success on the field next season.</p><p>"A lot of the guys you saw running around out there, they may not have looked very good, but some of them were true freshmen," Stubbs said. "I appreciate their courage. I am trying to teach my young guys what it takes to win."</p><p>Nicholls junior quarterback Landry Klann, who became the first Colonels player to throw for more than 2,000 yards in a season since Brad Zeller did it in 1998, said next season starts now. </p><p>"There are a lot of young guys that are eager to get better. We want to have a better season than 1-10," Klann said. "We are thinking 2013. We are moving on." </p><p>Marcus Washington, a junior who led the Colonels in rushing this season with 620 yards, said more leaders must emerge for Nicholls moving forward.</p><p>"We are going to have to build some leaders on all three phases, offense, defense and special teams," Washington said. "We have some guys who have played since they were freshmen coming back, so we know we have to bring it next year. Next season should be great. We have been playing young every year. We just need to go into this offseason knowing that we can win."</p><p>Sophomore cornerback Byron Cobb, a starter, said staying positive will benefit the team in working toward next season.</p><p>"We definitely have to stay positive and build off the positive things and feed off of the," Cobb said. "We want to have a successful program. Our coaches are instilling the right mindset in us."</p>